Israel Shoots Down Drone Off Haifa, Hizbullah Denies Responsibility

Hizbullah on Thursday denied sending a drone into Israel's airspace, a few hours after the Israeli air force said it shot down an unmanned aircraft several miles off the coast of the northern city of Haifa after it entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon.

“Hizbullah denies sending any unmanned drone into the airspace of occupied Palestine,” said a terse statement issued by the party.

"We're talking about another attempt by Hizbullah to send an unmanned drone into Israeli territory," he said to the army radio.

However, Israel's Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner was cautious, saying the incident was still being investigated.

"We don't know where the aircraft was coming from and where it was actually going," he said, adding that the navy was "searching for the remains of the UAV" as part of the probe.

Israel's military reported: "An unmanned aircraft (UAV) was identified approaching the coast of Israel and was successfully intercepted by the army aircraft five nautical miles off the coast of Haifa at approximately 14:00 (1300 GMT) today."

The Israeli radio said: “The drone was hit by a missile eight kilometers west of Haifa's port.”

The Jerusalem post elaborated saying the “Israeli Air Force identified a drone flying in Lebanese airspace south towards Israel shortly after 1 p.m. on Thursday.”

“The drone was flying along the coast line,” it detailed.

The Israeli army's spokesman Brig-Gen Yoav Mordechai said that the air defense system tracked the drone for (several) minutes while it was still in Lebanese territory.

“After the Air Force ensured that the aircraft was hostile and not Israeli, the commander of the army gave the order to shoot it down,” the spokesperson's unit said.

“The drone was at 6000 feet when it blew up and it was not immediately clear whether the drone was armed or not.”

MTV reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was aboard a helicopter heading for northern Israel and was forced to land ahead of shooting down the drone.

Netanyahu said “he sees this attempt to breach the borders as extremely grave”.

“We will continue to do whatever we must to protect the security of Israel's citizens," he stressed.

"Israel is preparing to deal with any threat, whether from Syria or Lebanon and whether from land, air or sea.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesman said: “We learned from the media that the Israeli air force has shot down a drone and we're investigating these reports.”

But later on Thursday, UNIFIL official spokesman Andrea Tenenti said the U.N. force cannot confirm that the drone had flown over its area of operations in southern Lebanon.

On October 6 2012, Israel shot down a drone over southern Israel's Negev desert after it entered the country's airspace from the Mediterranean Sea.

Netanyahu then pointed at Hizbullah and vowed to defend his country against further "threats."

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah later acknowledged that his group sent the sophisticated unmanned drone over Israel, saying the device was built by the Jewish state's arch-foe Iran.

"It's not the first time (that a drone was sent) and it will not be the last. We can reach all the zones" of Israel, said Nasrallah, referring to a less sophisticated drone sent by Hizbullah during its 2006 war against Israel.

“We will leave it to the Israelis to evaluate the intelligence and operational capabilities of the drone. This capability is only part of the surprises of any future war,” he went on to say.

Israel has now its excuse to eradicate hizbushaitan by eradicating Lebanon.
this will put us back another 10 years.
so whatever richness we will get some day from oil and gas will be depleted before we get them, and all that thanks to hizbushaitan.

Unfortunately, this is what happens when the business of running a a Country and its welfare is left to those or highjacked by those who but their religious and otherwise extrinsic interests ahead of loyalty to the country and national interests. It is further unfortunate since all of this has happened before in some form or fashion and will happen again unless we identify these people, make sure they are not in position of power and diminish/slow down this vicious cycle.

well i suppose we have to wait for more details. but it is another clear indication to junblat, and suleiman who claim to be in the middle that they cannot continue to be in the middle. they have to chose state institutions or a state within a state. the longer that they drag their feet, the stronger that hizbullah gets, and then we get their favorite remark:"those who think that hizbullah arms can be collected by force are dreaming." but we have got to this stage to where hizbullah controls everything in the country because you failed to take drastic measure all the way back then!

actually this might be a good time for israel to hit hizbullah. it will force hizbullah to bring their shayateen from syria, and israel can bomb the hell out of lebanon because no country is going to come to the aid of lebanon in the meantime. and of course this will give assad more time to butcher his people. it is sad, but a true statement!

and if this was sent by hizbullah, then it brings us back to the same issues: 1.iran and syria never dare to send a honey bee over israel but are always ready to have the lebanese do it and pay the price! 2. hizbullah continues to serve a foreign agenda and their presence in the government and parliament is nothing but a cover up! 3. hizbullah's continued claim that they must exist because the army cannot defend the country is baseless because the army could have sent the same drone had hizbullah provided the same to the army! 4. hizbullah is not interested in a strong lebanese state and are just using stall tactics from leaving governmental institutions non-functional to dealing drugs, laundering money and selling weapons, all with the assistance and blessings of demented pajamas general aoun!

Hezbollah taking decisions of war and peace all by itself again. Total disregard for our government and its institutions; Total disregard of the democratic will of the people. Might as well face it: we are all hostages of Hezbollah. The tragic part is that some of us are willing hostages.

This is the equation the terrorist party wants: army + People + "resistance". Did this fake resistance inform the army before they send this useless drone? I am almost sure NOT. They are acting as if they are a superpower and must be cut to size soon.

MTV: Customs agents at Beirut International Airport arrested a Lebanese and a Syrian national for attempting to smuggle 100 military uniforms.

and it makes me laugh.... look at what our security agencies busy doing:)))) HA is heavily fighting in Syria, Jihadist calls are issued, rockets being fired, and a drone is sent. Yet, our government is worried about 100 military uniforms...... hehehehehhehehe!

A dignified Lebanon was the one that built advanced rockets for scientific research. Not the one that hosts a terrorist group that builds rockets with the purpose of shooting them indiscriminately at peoples' homes.

Mowaten, I understand you point. My argument is that with a government that is able govern, any attempt to subdue us by anybody would be met by the resistance of a united people. This is where true pride and strength lie.

dignity?
which dignity are you talking about? especially when we are under Iranian invasion?
are we Lebanese responsible for what these Iranian extremists are doing?
who gave them the right to send this drone?
let them take their filth and go away, back to iran or whatever.
who told you we accept such things to happen endangering the lives of Lebanese, without us having a say in the matter?

Rodzil- "At least the iranians are providing you with elements to keep your dignity alive" and "You are all a bunch of cowards"
tell me something, where will Iran and yourself be the next time war breaks out between Israel and Lebanon? Clearly you and Iran are brave enough to face them that is why Lebanon must fight your wars for you. Coward is as coward does. COWARD!

I do not support hizb, but since Israel allows its warplanes to roam the sky of Lebanon and annoy the people with their sounds with no capacity to shoot them down then Lebanon or any individual who get annoyed or has the capacity to do something against it then he has the right to do it . Its is a silent war, us support Israel for its own interest and other countries will seek their own interests as well. Finally , I see hizb muddling in the Syrian war as an aggression and crime that should be stopped but I do not deny them the right to defend their own country.

you know what? go back to iran you filthy Iranian who came her uninvited.
do not talk about Lebanese leaders which have been assassinated by your filthy militia.
if they live outside Lebanon it is for security reasons which are due to your Iranian turbaned masters.
and who are you to talk to us about laws that cannot pass due to your Iranian militia threatening everybody to pass a law that will favor them in the elections.
go back to iran and do not pass go.

show us one law that makes them technically part of the Lebanese state.
go play in iran you and your likes.
there is not a single law that allows the existence of this filthy militia so NO they are not legal in any way whatsoever.

hizbushaitan is a registered party in Lebanon but its militia is not.
according to Lebanese la, no one has the right to form a militia.
once more you filthy Iranian: show us one law that allows for such filth to exist.

How dare you talk to the Israelis like that? They are the only people on earth, who have the right to violate any country they wish. Nobody has the right to spy on Israel. But they can, since they are very peaceful.

JC- you make a good point but one must deal with reality. Israel continuously violates our air space and has zero repercussions for doing so. It absolutely SUCKS but it’s the reality of the situation and HA drones and weapons are not enough to change that outcome. Actions have consequences and one should bear the responsibly of their actions. Provoking a war with Israel has consequences on all of Lebanon and all Lebanese people. Therefore retaliating in a manner that could provoke a war is a decision that should be taken collectively by the Lebanese government with full support of the Lebanese people. It is not a decision that should be taken by a single party/militia on their behalf or the behalf of another country without consent from the Lebanese people. That does not mean we support Israel. That means we support the rise of a state called Lebanon that acts on the Lebanese people’s behalf

I do not support hizb, but since Israel allows its warplanes to roam the sky of Lebanon and annoy the people with their sounds with no capacity to shoot them down then Lebanon or any individual who get annoyed or has the capacity to do something against it then he has the right to do it . Its is a silent war, us support Israel for its own interest and other countries will seek their own interests as well. Finally , I see hizb muddling in the Syrian war as an aggression and crime that should be stopped but I do not deny them the right to defend their own country.

When the Israelis bark day and night, you know they are out of any halfway good options, and this is always a great thing. In the meantime, the Sunnis, aka crazies such as geha, allouchti and primesuspect can continue to bark, too, while they get ready for the calling of the jihad because those virgins and in extreme heat waiting for the lunatics with wide open legs. 3alehom allouchti, geha and primesuspect. allhou BOOM akbar

"At least the iranians are providing you with elements to keep your dignity alive"
The Iranians are not interested in the "dignity" of the Lebanese. They are only interested in pursuing their war aims against Israel and these goals are being pursued by proxy. Why risk Iranian lives when you have Lebanese cannon fodder? Who pays for Iranian interests? The Lebanese, and in blood. The Iranians have nothing but disdain for the Lebanese because they treat the Lebanese as expendable pawns. Did Iran lift a finger when Lebanon was being pulverized in 2006? Iran barks and sends diktats and the Lebanese die in droves....

Lebanese dignity comes from pride in the country's institutions. We have to support these institutions and strengthen them. You are proud of the drone? It inflates your ego? This miserable toy plane that is in shreds in the Mediterranean? What did it accomplish? All it did was undermine the state's authority. Iran wants to fight Israel, yalla ya abadayet, send your revolutionary guards to Israel and leave us the hell out of your ambitions for a Persian empire.

welayed elfaqih is not like the Holy See at all...it runs the foreign ministry and the ministry of nuclear affairs of Iran...when was the last time the Pope stipulated the foreign policies of any country?

Lebanese pragmatism dictates that we must make peace with Israel. Iranian extremism dictates that we are just an expendable pawn that can be played whenever a Mullah tells his dog Hassan that it's time to bite.

At least, the Palestinians were fighting for themselves. I resent that they helped screw Lebanon up, but at least I respect their goal.
The Hizbos, on the other hand, have NO REASON to be antagonizing Israel. Israel could level half our country at the drop of a hat, Why the F are they messing with them?

Unfortunately, this is what happens when the business of running a Country and its welfare is left to those or highjacked by those who but their religious and otherwise extrinsic interests ahead loyalty to the country and national interests. It is further unfortunate since all of this has happened before in some form or fashion and will happen again unless we identify these people, make sure they are not in position of power and diminish/slow down this vicious cycle.

I think Hizballah is really thinking that the Lebanese are all stupid and he is the smartest!
The big change in the story is that the HIzb. denied the operation, and this is a sign of weakness, and it means only one thing they want to divert the attention from Syrian carnage in which they are very active,but are affraid to state it and this is a big change!

If they are looking for peace,
1st give Palestinians their rightful lands back.. All Israelis MOVE TO THE UNITED STATES and take their lands ( it already has Hollywood so to speak )as well as maybe wall street. * who knows what else.
2. To Apologize to the Palestinians and the Lebanese people for previous crimes of war committed.
3. Peace will come when Israel acknowledges it is acting like it previous dictator the Nazi's who so wrongfully killed many innocents for wanting to create a Aryan race. Which Hitler failed at.
4. When Israel moves house, Iran will finally get all the Hezbollah living to put down all their weapons.
{PLUS SOME)))) then maybe peace in the middle east will be had for all of us.
5. If Hitler survived I am sure he would have been tried for war crimes. So too must Nasrallah and Netanyahu be tried in the Hague.

You can add any dictator to be tried in the Hague who is causing injustice on earth. I think then Earth will be at peace to some level.

I dont think it will happen Jewish governments taking American owned land. Its a Long shot, but when money is no object I wonder what can and cant be bought. But then JUST a scenario people for example how would America react if Jewish government took over peoples land and built homes for the Jewish people rather than the multicultural American homes have. WHAT IF.

So you see Rodzil peace I doubt it. sure Israel wants peace for its Jewish citizens but I wonder if they want the same peace for ALL its neighbours. I DOUBT IT. "God sends us neighbours so we can share , example Lend me a cup of sugar I give you some tomorrow. NOT bomb you and put your neighboring country into chaos and a state of war.